Draco and Hermione - The hogwarts years
by Golden Seeker 91
Summary: People have been saying on some reviews please write more etc. This is going to be a 7 chapter story, one year equaling a chapter.
1. Draco and Hermione - How it all began

Draco/Hermione

Ever since the 1st year, Draco hated Harry, not because he was famous, not because he was the chosen one, not because he was better at quidditch than him, but because he was best friends with Hermione Granger and Draco knew that up against the famous Harry Potter, he had absolutely no chance of ever being with her.

He had had a crush on her ever since their very first day, when he first saw her at the sorting. His heart sank when she was put in Gryffindor, shortly followed by Harry and Ron, now she would never be his.

He gazed mournfully over to the Gryffindor table at the feast; he focused on her brown hair falling over her face as she talked with the others on the Gryffindor table. Suddenly she looked up, directly at him and gave him a small smile, his hopes lifted a little, maybe there was hope after all.

He was always looking for a chance to talk to her, it was not easy, they only had one class together, potions, and there was not much opportunity for talking. Then one day he got a chance. He had gone to the library to try and find a book on potions. Draco never really cared about potions, he was never very good, charms class was his favourite, but Professor Snape was his godfather so he felt he had to at least try. He saw Hermione in the corner, she was on her own. Draco took a breath and steeling himself walked over. As he got closer he could see that she was crying. Draco hesitated for a moment, he wasn't sure how to deal with crying girls, but he thought he should offer some comfort. He stepped forward silently and put his hand on her shoulder.

She jerked her head up when he touched her, gleaming eyes focussed blearily on his face, his stomach flipped.

'Are you ok?' he asked softly, aware that madam Pince was only a few steps away.

She shook her head silently.

He offered her his hand, 'walk with me?'

She took the hand and they left the library, they found an empty classroom and went in.

'What's wrong?' Draco asked softly.

Hermione took a breath and hid her face behind her hair.

'Something Ronald Weasley said.' She whispered. 'How I don't have any friends here. He's right, no one talks to me. Everyone just thinks I'm a teacher's pet.'

He laid a hand on her shoulder again and squeezed it gently. He felt her stiffen at his touch.

'I'm talking to you, and being clever doesn't make you a teacher's pet. I'll be your friend if you'd like.'

She turned and Draco saw her smile briefly. His stomach flipped again.

'Your name is Draco isn't it? You were sorted into Slythrin, I saw you looking at me across the hall at the feast.'

He nodded mutely feeling embarrassed. Hermione smiled and got to her feet, she reached out a hand to help him up. He took it and climbed clumsily to his feet.

They stood there for a few moments in silence. Hermione cleared her throat and said in a small voice.

'Thanks for cheering me up.'

'No problem.' He held out his hand. 'Friends?'

Hermione shook the hand

'Friends.' She said smiling.

They left the classroom, both in different directions and off to different houses, but both knowing they had a friend in each other.


	2. Get well soon

Draco Malfoy crept through the dark halls of Hogwarts keeping to the shadows and trying to be as silent as he could. It was a cold night, windows rattled and hailstones pelted the panes, although Draco wasn't fussed, the more noise the weather made, the better chance Draco had of making it to the hospital wing without being caught.

He finally rounded the corner to the corridor that led to the hospital wing, it was empty. He hurried down it and paused at the door to the hospital wing to make sure no one was moving inside. Once he was satisfied the coast was clear he opened the door and slipped silently inside.

Only one bed was occupied. A figure lay in it, curled on her side. Her cheek was resting on her hand. Her slight even breath was disturbing the long hair that had fallen over her face as she slept. She was his best friend at Hogwarts. The first friend he had made there. Hermione Granger.

He stood in the doorway for a moment studying his friend. Now he thought about it, it was amazing they were friends at all. Their houses were enemies. Then she had made friends in her own house with Harry Potter and he was sure she would realise he was no good and not talk to him again. But no, she had stuck by him. Draco also knew she was muggleborn and knew his father could never find out about their friendship. But still, he stayed her friend, he couldn't stay away. She was the only one who was really kind to him. Who made him feel wanted and liked.

He went over to the bed and was overwhelmed by a sudden urge to brush the hair away from her face. She usually looked deep in thought all the time. Her eyebrows furrowed as she took down countless notes and read countless books. But now her face was relaxed with a slight smile curling the edge of her lip. She looked so young, so small, in sleep. He felt a fierce urge to protect her.

Her eyes fluttered suddenly and Draco backed away, so as not to be caught in the act of looking at her. Her eyes slowly focused on him and she gave a start. She sat up and her eyes searched the darkness of the room. She was still not all cured from being turned into a cat and her eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

"Draco?" She whispered. Apparently she still had cat vision because she seemed to have no trouble seeing him in the darkness.

He stepped forward.

"Hi." He whispered. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."

"What are you doing here?" She whispered.

"They wouldn't let me see you in the day. I just had to see that you were ok."

"So you snuck out at night!" She hissed at him. "You could have been caught!"

"Sorry." He mumbled looking at the floor. "I just wanted to give you this."

He walked up to the bed and pulled from his robes a get well soon card. Still not looking at her he put it on the table beside her bed and turned to leave. Hermione grabbed his hand.

He turned around and saw her smiling at him. She wrapped both her hands around his one hand.

"Thank you." She said softly before kissing him on the cheek. For the first time in his life Draco flushed bright red.

"Now go before you get caught."

Draco turned, a little dizzy, and exited the hospital wing and although he tried to hide it he couldn't help the bemused, slightly goofy grin that spread across his face.


	3. The one where Hermione realizes

Draco had always been Hermione's best friend. The first friend she had made at Hogwarts. The one who had been there for her in first year when she was alone and upset and had no friends. He was the only one who had spoken to her, comforted her. It was he who had risked getting caught out of bed after hours to give her a get well soon card after she had been turned into a cat in the second year. And now it was Draco Malfoy she was running after desperately calling after him to stop.

She hadn't meant to punch him. He had been so supportive when Harry and Ron had stopped talking to her. She knew he hated Ron and Harry, but still, he had respected the friendship she held between Harry and Ron and recognised that it caused her hurt and had comforted her. And then what had she done to repay him? She had punched him in the face.

She ran after him, fighting the tightness in her chest and both fatigue and panic overcame her.

"Draco!" She called desperately. "Please."

Draco spun around on his heal. There was a darkening bruise on his left cheekbone.

"Sorry Draco. I am so sorry." Hermione whispered.

He spun back around and stalked into an empty classroom. After a few moments' hesitation she followed.

She found him sitting on a desk. She went over and sat next to him. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. Eventuly Hermione pulled her wand and a small handkerchief from her bag and uttered a simple freezing spell. She offered the frozen hankie to Draco.

"Put it on your face. It will help the bruise."

He took it without looking at her and pressed it to his face. She heard him gasp as he touched the spot where she had hit him.

After a few moments Draco spoke.

"I'm sorry I said that about Hagrid. You know I didn't mean it right?"

Hermione nodded mutely.

"You know I didn't mean to punch you right?"

Draco smiled and nodded.

"I know."

Hermione's shoulders relaxed, she let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.

"So were still friends?" She asked to her knees, not daring herself to look up.

Draco grabbed Hermione's arms, turning her to face him.

"Of course were still friend's, you were upset, I shouldn't have mentioned Hagrid. I was just so angry at Ron and Harry for making you so upset these last few months and then going on like nothing happened."

Hermione sniffed. Draco pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in a hug.

"You could punch me a million times and I would still be your best friend. You were my first friend and whatever happens; wherever we go after Hogwarts I promise you will always be my best friend."

Hermione sobbed. She hadn't realised how worried she had been that she might lose him. Draco tightened his hold on her and waiting till she flushed months of worry and hurt out of her system.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break down completely" She mumbled against his shoulder. She could hear his heart, beating steadily, as sure sounding as a second on a clock.

Draco bent his head down and kissed her forehead.

"It's fine." He whispered his voice Hermione would recall later, trembled slightly. "Don't be sorry."

They stayed like that for some time. And as she listened to his heart drumming its soft steady beat in the silence and felt the press of his lips on her forehead she began to realise just how much she needed him, how much she had some to rely on his steadiness these past few months.

The lunch bell rang then, shattering the silence in the empty classroom. Hermione jumped back with a startled gasp. She looked at Draco and saw he was looking around with a dazed expression. The bruise on his cheek was purple now, creating a fake shadow across his face.

"We had better get back to our dormitories. Are you okay now?" Draco asked.

She nodded and they left the classroom together. Hermione turning left, Draco turning right. Back to their separate friends and separate houses but together in their minds.


	4. The one where Draco realizes

Seeing Hermione at the Yule ball had had more of an effect on Draco than he thought it would have. When she walked down the grand staircase into the entrance hall his heart had stopped and his stomach felt as though someone had cast the jelly legs jinx on it. Her bushy brown hair that normally hid her face was sleek and shiny and pulled up into a high bun displaying high cheekbones and making her eyes look even more bright and intelligent than ever.

Sure he knew she was always pretty, but it had never occurred to him until now that she was actually beautiful.

He stared at her through the crowd. Hermione, as if she could tell she was being observed looked up straight into his eyes. She offered him a small shy smile. Draco, realising he had been gaping at her, hurriedly closed his mouth and smiled back.

"Draco?" The voice seemed to come from far away. It was accompanied by a squeeze of his wrist. Draco snapped his attention back to his surroundings. Pansy Parkinson stood at his side. She looked over and saw Hermione descending the staircase.

"I can't believe someone actually invited her, who would be that desperate enough to go with that little mudblood."

Draco forced a smirk onto his face and resisted the urge to smack her. He had dearly wanted to ask Hermione to the ball but they both agreed they couldn't go with each other. If anyone found out about their friendship Draco knew it would be the last time he could see her and he could not allow that. So, they had both agreed to go with whoever they invited, or whoever invited them and meet at 10 o clock in the classroom by the library where they had become friends in first year. He checked his watch, 2 hours before he met her.

"Come on, let's go in." Draco said, taking Pansy's arm and leading her into the great hall. The champions all took their dance partners and went to the middle of the hall where a large square had been set out. Hermione walked gracefully arm in arm with Victor Krum. Draco was the only one who knew who she was going with. Everyone else started, stunned that the girl now dancing with an internationally known quidditch player was usually a quiet clever witch with bushy brown hair and a bag full of books. Draco got a burning feeling in the pit of his stomach and behind his eyes.

"Her!" Beside him Pansy Parkinson was staring disbelievingly at the pair on the dance floor. "He asked her! Must have taken too many bludgers to the head in that last season I guess."

Draco snapped.

"Stop going off on her like that, she is prettier than you will ever be, inside and out." He turned on his heal and stormed out of the great hall breathing heavily.

He half ran to the classroom and sat down on a table. He was shaking, from what he didn't know, anger, fear, sadness or the cold that seemed to have invaded him.

He sat in the dark classroom as his breathing slowed down and the realisation of what he had said to Pansy sank in. Now he had blown it, Pansy would rat him out as a mudblood lover and he would never be able to see Hermione again. Panic closed up his throat, his only friend and he would never be able to see her again.

He ran his fingers through his hair causing it to stick up, not stay pasted to his head like usual and it made him look younger, not as serious and cold.

He checked his watch again, still another hour before they were due to meet. He got to his feet and paced about the room wondering how he could tell her he had messed up. He realised then that she probably wouldn't be to upset, she had her friends in Gryffindor, and she would probably just move on and forget about him but him, he didn't know what he would do. It hit him then how much he needed Hermione. How much she meant to him and he realised that he couldn't lose her, just couldn't. He sat on the desk again and pressed his palms to his eye sockets.

"Draco?" Hermione's voice floated through the doorway. Draco stopped breathing. He heard footsteps coming toward him then felt a hand on his shoulder. "Draco, I heard what you said at the ball." Draco kept his head down, he couldn't meet her eyes. He knew this meeting was goodbye and he couldn't bear to see it. The hand on his shoulder transferred to his chin, lifting his face to face hers.

"I'm sorry" He mumbled "I should have snapped at Pansy, I'm so sorry."

Hermione didn't say anything, just sat next to him on the desk and put her head on his shoulder.

"But my father..." Hermione put a hand on his chest silencing him. She got to her feet so she was facing him.

"I'll meet you here, everyday, at 9 o'clock. You are not losing me that easily."

All the tension went out of his body. He felt so relieved he had to hold back a sob. Draco shot to his feet and wrapped Hermione in a fierce hug. She returned his embrace tucking her chin just above the line of his collarbone and he knew then that he could never let her go. He didn't care about his father, didn't care what others would say, he only cared about Hermione in his arms, her head on his collarbone. He closed his eyes, this was where he belonged, with Hermione, in this dark classroom.

Although he hated himself for it he drew back from Hermione.

"We had better get back."

She sighed. "You're right." She gave Draco one last quick hug before turning at the door. "Same time tomorrow?"

Draco grinned. "Same time tomorrow." He confirmed and he and Hermione walked back to the dance alone in different directions.


	5. Promises

Hermione Granger paced the dark abandoned classroom impatiently. It was 5 minutes before she was due to meet Draco.

As she ate breakfast in the great hall on the last day of school an owl dropped a copy of the daily prophet by her plate, she looked up to see Draco's owl circling overhead. She opened the paper and a small scrap of parchment fell out. She recognised Draco's elegant handwriting.

"Same place same time?"

She turned the parchment over and wrote quickly back.

"See you there."

She slipped the parchment back into the paper and set it on her plate. Draco's owl swooped down swiftly and picked it up carrying it from the great hall.

The sharp click of an unlocking door jolted Hermione back to the present.

Draco stepped into the dark room. Hermione drank in every detail of him. She ran to him and hugged him tightly. He had grown over the year. Her head, which before had rested just above his collarbone, now rested against the hard muscle of his chest. She could feel his heart beating, steadily and consistently beneath her cheek. She felt safe and secure in his arms. Draco returned the hug, his chin resting on her head. She could feel his breath stirring her hair. It would be 10 weeks before she got to see him again. 10 long weeks she would feel lost and lonely without Draco by her side to keep her grounded. Draco didn't know this of course. He could never know. They came from two different ends of the wizarding world. Pure bloods and Muggleborns, the most they could ever be was friends, and even that involved meeting in an abandoned classroom after curfew.

"I'm going to miss you so much." She said.

Suddenly all the energy seemed to drain out of him. His head dropped to her shoulder. He hugged her tight, as if worried she would disappear if he let go and she realised he was shivering. Suddenly she was supporting him.

"Hey!" she said, startled, "Hey, what's wrong?" but he just shook his head against her shoulder. He had lost weight she realised. She could still feel his heart, racing now, but she could also feel the outlines of his ribs. His shoulder blades protruded sharply underneath his jumper. She went cold, something was seriously wrong.

She pulled back gripping his elbows, they stuck out too. His hair had grown over the year and it fell into his eyes making him look younger. Hermione reached forward and hooked two fingers under his chin bringing his eyes level with hers. His face had gotten more angular; his cheekbones that had always been prominent now cast a faint purplish shadow on his face. He was handsome she realised. But right now, the look on his face drove all thoughts out of Hermione's mind.

He looked scared, vulnerable and desperate. His eyes were dark with worry. She forced him to look at her.

"Tell me what's wrong, please, I want to help you, you're scaring me."

Draco slumped onto a desk his head resting upon his hands, palms pressed against his eyes.

"He's back." He said in a hollow voice. "He's back and he's punishing all the people who didn't go looking for him." Hermione went cold.

"Your father?" she asked quietly.

He didn't need to answer, the half sob that escaped though his nose was answer enough.

"He's so powerful, so terrible. But still my father follows him. He thinks' its his duty for not trying to find him before. I can't go back home, not while he's still there."

She took his hands and pulled him to his feet.

"Then don't. Stay with me, stay away from all of that. Let me keep you safe. Please, you are too important to me. I can't lose you."

Hermione stood open mouthed, amazed at the things she had just said and how much she truly meant them. Draco similarly looked like he had been hit with a stunning spell.

"I, I mean I don't want you to get hurt. You, you're my best friend." She stammered.

Draco stepped forward so he and Hermione stood toe to toe, he ducked his head so he looked Hermione in the eye.

"I cannot bear to see you hurt either, that is why I cannot stay with you. He would find you. He would hurt you and your family. I cannot see that happen just because I am too cowardly to face him."

Hermione felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Promise me you'll be safe. Please. Promise me."

He moved so suddenly Hermione didn't know what was going on till the moment his lips brushed hers.

"I promise. For you I will keep myself safe."

He stepped back and grinned, his face forming the cocky smirk she loved.

"You're not getting rid of me that easy Granger."

He turned and left.

Hermione lay in bed much later on the edge of sleep. She was worried sick about Draco. The thought of him being in close contact with Voldemort made her want to cry. But as worried as she was about him she took only one thought with her as she sank into dreams. Draco had kissed her.


	6. A helping heart

Draco and Hermione 6th year.

Draco ran out of the room of requirement and down the corridor holding his left arm across his stomach. His shoulders shook as he fought back sobs and the want to vomit all over the flagstones of the 6th floor corridor. He couldn't breathe. Revolution and fear closed up his throat making him gag. He ran into the nearest bathroom he could find and bolted the door behind him. He stood still for a moment and listened, making sure no one else was in the bathroom, and then he flattened himself against the door.

He pressed his palms to his eyes trying to breathe slowly but he couldn't, whenever he closed his eyes he saw those red eyes burning into his own, making him do awful things. He saw the small bird in his mind's eye, laying dead and cold at his feet and what little control he had gained over his stomach left. He lurched forward and threw up into the nearest toilet. He retched for a few minutes' uncontrollably, tears welling in his eyes from sadness and pain bringing up only acid that burned his stomach and throat. He eventually got control and curled over, his head on his knees and there he stayed his eyes watering, shivering and shaking.

He heard running footsteps outside and the door of the bathroom being pushed against the lock.

"Draco," a hushed whisper hissed from the other side of the door. "Draco, it's me, let me in."

Draco didn't move. The door was pushed again followed by a muttered curse. A faint wind ruffled his hair and a soft whooshing sound reached his ears and then Hermione was there, kneeling next to him her hair tickling the nape of his neck, one hand lightly brushing his spine, the other brushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"Draco, what's wrong? Please tell me."

Draco just shook his head. Hermione sighed.

"Okay then."

Hermione put her back to the door. She didn't talk, she just sat with him while his breathing calmed and his stomach stopped trying to fight its way out through his throat.

He looked up and saw Hermione staring consernidly at him. His heart sank. He looked right at her making sure he studied her eyes for what would be the last time.

"Go now. You have to go Hermione." He whispered urgently.

Hurt and confusion crossed her face and he resisted the urge to smack his palm against his head. Now he had upset probably the only person in the world he cared about.

"What? Why?"

Draco couldn't breathe again.

"I can't." He huffed, shaking his head. "Please, I can't tell you, just go!"

Draco could see tears in Hermione's eyes now and that made him sob. He looked away so she wouldn't see.

"Please."

"No." Draco looked up at her. His eyes pleaded with her to listen to him. "No." She said again. "Not till you give me a valid reason why."

Draco sighed and fumbled with the buttons of his left cuff. Sweaty, trembling hands slipping over them, his breath came faster as he struggled with the tiny buttons till Hermione reached over and took his hand, unfastening the buttons for him. He rolled the sleeve up to his elbow and Hermione's eyes went wide, she gasped and then recovered herself.

Draco found his voice before Hermione found hers.

"Don't you see? This is why you have to go. If you don't Voldemort will find out about you and can use you to get to me. If I do anything wrong he punishes me by hurting what makes me weak. This morning I failed to kill a bird, so Voldemort made me watch as he tortured it to death. Don't you understand? If he finds out how I feel about you and I fail again he will hurt you or kill you. I would rather not see you at all than see you lying before me hurt or worse. So please Hermione. Just, go!"

Hermione took his arm, rolling the sleeve back down, covering the mark there.

"This is only a mark. It means no more to me than me being a mud blood means to you." Draco winced.

"Don't call youes-"

"What?" Hermione demanded. "Don't call myself mud blood? I don't care about being a mud blood. I don't care about you being a death eater. You are a good person and no mark will change that, not to me. You said it yourself, you couldn't even kill that bird, and if you were a death eater you wouldn't hesitate. Just let me help you."

Draco stared at her. He had thought she would hate him when she found out what he was. Some of the pressure in his chest listened.

"Hermione, if you help me he will kill you or make me kill you. If you want to help me leave now and don't turn back."

"Not gonna happen!" She grabbed his wrists and pulled him, none too gently, to his feet. "I will not leave you, ever, have you got that? We will figure out a way to keep you safe, you can come live with me over the summer. I will be your secret keeper; I know how to perform the spell. No one will be able to find you. You will be safe. Please, just let me help!"

Draco looked at her between the strands of long sweaty hair that had fallen into his eyes, a small spark of hope flickering to life in his eyes. He could disappear. Forget those cold red eyes. Live a normal life in the muggle world with Hermione. Live with Hermione. His face broke into a grin. He said again crushing Hermione to him. Hermione smiled up at him and roped her arms around his neck and before Draco knew what was happening Hermione had kissed him. She quickly broke away looking shocked.

"Just promise me you will let me help you." She mumbled looking away.

"Okay." He said hoarsely. Then he laughed. "Okay."

"Same time same place?" She asked, still not looking at him.

"See you there." He grinned as Hermione bolted from the room.

He rinsed his face with water and collected his thoughts before he went to his next lesson. He was still scared, but he could see an end to it how, with Hermione. He left the bathroom, his cocky grin everyone knew safely plastered back on his face.


End file.
